ASTM F764-82(1994)

Standard Practice for Compatibility of Materials with High-Energy Propellants (Impact Sensitivity Threshold Technique) (Withdrawn 2003)

SCOPE
1.1 This practice covers the threshold procedure for impact testing in high-energy propellants, and differs from Test Method D2512 only in the additional safeguards and restraints required when handling these dangerous materials, both for safety and for prevention of interfering reactions.

General Information

• Status: Withdrawn
• Publication Date: 31-Dec-1993
• Withdrawal Date: 11-Feb-2003
• ICS: 75.160.20 - Liquid fuels
• Technical Committee: F07 - Aerospace and Aircraft
• Drafting Committee: F07.90 - Executive

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superceded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
Designation: F 764 – 82 (Reapproved 1994)
Standard Practice for
Compatibility of Materials with High-Energy Propellants
(Impact Sensitivity Threshold Technique)
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F 764; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope propellant are excluded from the test system.
4.1.3 Assure that reactive propellant is not diluted with inert
1.1 This practice covers the threshold procedure for impact
material.
testing in high-energy propellants, and differs from Test
4.1.4 Dispose of unreacted propellant and reaction products
Method D 2512 only in the additional safeguards and restraints
after test in a safe manner.
required when handling these dangerous materials, both for
4.1.5 Minimize the quantity of propellant used.
safety and for prevention of interfering reactions.
4.1.6 Eliminate interaction of the propellant with functional
2. Referenced Documents parts of the test apparatus.
4.1.7 Assure proper post-test examination of specimens.
2.1 ASTM Standards:
4.1.8 Miscellaneous considerations.
D 2512 Test Method for Compatibility of Materials with
4.1.9 Reporting.
Liquid Oxygen (Impact Sensitivity Threshold and Pass-
4.2 The procedures described in this practice deal with
Fail Technique)
precautions necessary for handling the high-energy propellants
3. Significance and Use
safely and for preventing interfering reactions while conduct-
ing the impact tests. The basic Test Method D 2512, of the
3.1 When this practice is employed to measure the threshold
impact test is not altered. The emphasis is on test system design
impact sensitivity of a material-propellant pair, a relative
principles, not specifics, because each high-energy propellant
sensitivity assessment is obtained which permits the ranking of
has different properties that must be considered in the final
materials.
design of the system, and new propellants with new properties
3.2 The parent test method, D2512, is widely used for
are frequently introduced into the test laboratory. Many of the
acceptance-testing materials for use in liquid oxygen systems,
precautions and techniques described are appropriate in tests
and this practice is usable in a similar way for many propellant
other than impact tests. Tables 1 and 2 list the physical
systems. Twenty separate samples of the material submerged in
properties of some fluids that are used or are under consider-
liquid propellant are subjected to 98J (72 ft·lbf) or as specified
ation as rocket propellants—oxidizers and fuels respectively.
impact energy delivered through a 12.7-mm ( ⁄2-in.) diameter
contact. More than one indication of sensitivity is cause for
5. Safety Precautions
immediate rejection. A single explosion, flash, or other indica-
5.1 The main requirement for personnel safety is prevention
tion of sensitivity during the initial series of 20 tests requires
of any of the propellant, reaction intermediates, or reaction
that an additional 40 samples be tested without incident to
products from coming in contact with the personnel. Complete
ensure acceptability of the material for use with that propellant.
isolation of personnel from the test apparatus when the latter
4. General
contains propellant will prevent such contact.
5.2 Complete isolation is assured by locating the test appa-
4.1 In conducting tests with toxic, corrosive, hypergolic, or
ratus in an enclosure and behind a barricade. The operator is
other dangerously reactive rocket propellants, the following
stationed in a control room on the other side of the barricade.
constraints, in addition to those for liquid oxygen impact
Visual observation of tests shall be through armored glass
testing, must be met:
viewing ports and a mirror system or periscope. Manipulation
4.1.1 Assure safety for personnel.
of test apparatus, specimens, cups, striker pins, etc., must be
4.1.2 Assure that substances known to react with the test
carried out using a remote manipulator. (Many types exist; they
were developed for nuclear applications and may need rela-
tively simple modifications to be satisfactory.) Valving for
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F-7 on Aerospace
and Aircraft and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F07.02on Propellant
propellants, refrigerants, purge gasses, etc., must be operated
Technology.
remotely from the control room. Controls for plummet raising,
Current edition approved July 2, 1982. Published June 1982.
lowering and dropping, and for lights and ventilation must be
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 15.03.
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NOTICE: This standard has either been superceded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
F 764
TABLE 1 Physical Properties of Propellant Oxidizers
Molecular Molecular Melting Point, Boiling Point, P , psia Liquid Range,
c
Oxidizer T ° R (K)
c
Formula Weight ° R (K) ° R (K) (MPa) ° R (K)
Chlorine pentafluoride CIF 130.45 306.3 (551.3) 469.1 (844.9) 749.1 (1348.9) 769 (5.3) 432.8 (779.0)
Chlorine trifluoride CIF 92.45 352.6 (634.9) 512.9 (923.2) 805 (1449.0) 838 (5.7) 452 (813.6)
Dioxygen difluoride O F 70.00 197 (354.6) 399.4 dec (718.9) . . 200 est (360)
2 2
A
70 % FLOX . 36.20 NA 244 est (439.2) . . 160 est (288)
(average)
Fluorine F 38.00 96.4 (173.5) 153.1 (275.6) 259.1 (466.4) 808.3 (5.6) 162.7 (292.9)
B
MON-10 . 85.8 . . . . .
(average)
Nitrogen tetroxide N O 92.02 447.9 (806.2) 529.8 (953.6) 777 (1398.6) 1470 (10.1) 329 (592.2)
2 4
Nitrogen trifluoride NF 71.01 116.7 (210.1) 260.8 (469.4) 421.3 (758.3) 657 (4.5) 304.6 (548.3)
Nitryl fluoride NO F 65.01 192 (345.6) 361.3 (650.3) 629.1 (1132.4) . 437.1 (786.8)
Oxygen O 32.00 97.8 (176.0) 162.3 (292.1) 278.6 (501.5) 736.9 (5.1) 180.8 (325.4)
Oxygen difluoride OF 54.00 89 (160.2) 231 (415.8) 388 (698.4) 719 (5.0) 299 (538.2)
Perchloryl fluoride ClO F 102.45 228.9 (412.0) 407.5 (733.5) 663 (1193.4) 779 (5.4) 434 (781.2)
Tetrafluorohydrazine N F 104.02 197.7 (355.9) 358.7 (645.7) 559.2 (1006.6) 625 (4.3) 361.5 (650.7)
2 4
A
Seventy weight percent of fluorine in oxygen.
B
Ten weight percent of nitric oxide in nitrogen tetroxide.
TABLE 2 Physical Properties of Propellant Fuels
Molecular Melting Point, Boiling Point, P , psia Liquid Range,
c
Fuel Formula T ,°R(K)
c
Weight ° R (K) ° R (K) (MPa) ° R (K)
A
Aerozine 50 45 (avg) 478–481 (860.4– 618 (1112.4) 1094 (1969.2) 1696 (11.7) (calc) 614 (1105.2)
865.8) (calc)
Ammonia NH 17.03 351.7 (633.0) 431.6 (776.9) 730.0 (1314.0) 1638.6 (11.3) 378.3 (680.9)
Diborane B H 27.69 193.7 (348.7) 325.1 (585.2) 521.8 (939.2) 581 (4.0) 328 (590.4)
2 6
Ethane C H 30.07 161.8 (291.2) 331.8 (597.2) 549.7 (989.5) 709.8 (4.9) 387.9 (698.2)
2 6
Ethylene C H 28.05 187.2 (337.0) 305.0 (549.0) 509.5 (917.6) 742.2 (5.1) 322.3 (580.1)
2 4
Hydrazine N H 32.04 494.4 (889.9) 696.0 (1252.8) 1176 (2116.8) 2132 (14.7) 682 (1227.6)
2 4
Hydrogen (normal) H 2.016 25.1 (45.2) 36.7 (66.1) 59.7 (107.5) 190.8 (1.3) 34.6 (62.3)
Methane CH 16.04 163.2 (293.8) 201.0 (361.8) 343.2 (617.8) 673.1 (4.6) 180.0 (324.0)
Monomethylhydrazine (CH )N H 46.08 397.2 (715.0) 652.2 (1174.0) 1054 (1897.2) 1195 (8.2) 647 (1164.6)
3 2 3
Monomethylhydrazine (CH )N H H O 64.10 . . . . .
3 2 3 2
monohydrate
Pentaborane B H 63.17 407.6 (733.7) 596.8 (1074.2) . . .
5 9
Propane C H 44.10 153.9 (277.0) 415.9 (748.6) 665.9 (1198.6) 617.4 (4.3) 512.1 (921.8)
3 8
Trimethylborane B(CH ) 55.92 201.0 (361.8) 455.7 (820.3) 690 (1242) (est) . 488 (878.4) (est)
3 3
UDMH (unsymmetrical (CH ) N H 60.08 388.7 (699.7) 606 (1090.8) 942 (1695.6) 786 (5.4) 553 (995.4)
3 2 2 2
dimethylhydrazine)
A
Fifty weight percent hydrazine in UDMH.
electrical switches operated from the control room. Inert gas precautions of a “buddy” in the same room and the wearing of
pneumatic controls are acceptable substitutes; hydraulic con- a rescue harness are mandatory.
trols should not be used.
6. Exclusion of Reactive Impurities
5.3 All ports and leads through the walls and barricade must
be carefully sealed and continuously purged with nitrogen to 6.1 Many high-energy propellants will react readily with
prevent gas diffusion in either direction. Air-line respirators common materials, either spontaneously or under shock and
must be available in the control room. Their use can be optional impact initiation. These various reactions with impurities must
when testing with easily detected propellants such as chlorine be prevented as they would be false positives. Thus, liquid
trifluoride, but mandatory for very toxic and insidious propel- fluorine will react explosively under impact with frozen water,
lants such as pentaborane and nitrogen tetroxide. solid CO , and most common organic materials including
5.4 The control room must have a ventilating system sepa- polytetrafluoroethylene. Liquid pentaborane will inflame in
rate from that of the test enclosure. The intake should be dilute gaseous oxygen (air plus excess nitrogen) at impact,
remote from the exhaust of the test enclosure. Atmospheric even when the oxygen content is too low (<4 %) to cause
pressure in the control room should be slightly greater than that spontaneous inflammation. Some fluorocarbon and chlorofluo-
in the test enclosure so that there is resistance to gas flow into rocarbon liquids will explode when torqued in contact with
the control room even if the port purges fail. When detectors aluminum, such as the sample cups. Trace residues from
for the propellant being tested are available, a unit should be chlorocarbon cleaning solvents are impact sensitive in N O
2 4
set up in the control room and connected to an audible alarm. and they inflame spontaneously in some fluorinating agents
If air leakage from the control room to the test enclosure can (the behavior in NF is not reported).
result in an explosion hazard in the atmosphere of the test 6.2 There are two stages to exclusion of reactive impurities.
enclosure because of the presence of fuel vapors, the control The first is the prevention of their introduction during prepa-
room must be purged free of oxygen by means of an inert gas, ration for tests. The apparatus, enclosure, and specimens must
and the operator must wear an air line respirator. The usual be cleaned in such a manner that all reactive materials are
NOTICE: This standard has either been superceded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
F 764
removed. Thus, for propellants that are sensitive to moisture, nitrogen clean-off gun on a flex line can be controlled by the
the whole test enclosure must be thoroughly dried. A warm-air remote manipulator to blow particles out of the test area.
gun is effective for small enclosures. Grease, oil, and dust 6.6 Commercial cryogenic refrigerants such as liquid nitro-
particles must be removed, in accordance with Test Method gen must conform to the requirements of this method with
D 2512, Section 8, from all portions of the apparatus that might regard to concentrations of solid impurities. The concentration
allow them to drop or condense in the sample cup. Long-ray of solids is often increased where locally refilled portable
ultraviolet illumination may be used to check for cleanliness. containers are used to supply liquid nitrogen. Many of the
Test specimens, sample cups, striker pins, and guide bars must particles consist of species that are reactive with propellants—
be thoroughly cleaned and dried. The procedures commonly ice, CO , frozen oils. To prevent contamination of the test, the
called“ FLOX Cleaning” specified in Test Method D 2512, liquid nitrogen must be filtered through a 40-μm nominal
Section 8 are sufficient provided that the standards are truly cryogenic filter. If the purity of purge gases is not assured, they
met. Since most cleaning solvents are reactive with most must be filtered through a 10-μm filter.
high-energy propellants, absorbed traces of the solvents must
7. Prevention of Dilution of Propellant
be removed. All porous or permeable materials such as metal
7.1 The use of purge gases and separate refrigerants (see
castings and sinterings, ceramics and cements, plastics and
Section 9) introduces the possibility that the propellant may be
elastomers, must be baked dry in a vacuum after cleaning. Two
diluted by a foreign, nonreactive material, and so give a false
hours at 105°C, 1 torr (133 Pa) is sufficient for the specimens
negative test. Sources of such dilution are the atmosphere in
used in impact tests.
the test enclosure and the refrigerant used in tests conducted at
6.3 Reactive species must be removed from the atmosphere
of the test enclosure as well. The best arrangement is a temperatures below ambient.
7.2 The only condition under which the atmosphere is likely
continuous purge with filtered dry gaseous nitrogen. The purge
should be turned on after completion of all operations that to act as a diluent exists when the temperature of the test fluid
is below the condensation temperature of the atmospheric
require the presence of the operator in the test enclosure. The
enclosure is then sealed except for entrance and exhaust of the gases. At liquid nitrogen temperature (−196°C), oxygen will
condense (boiling point—182°C). However, if the test enclo-
purge gas. Depending on the size of the enclosure and the
initial and final maximum concentrations of the species to be sure is swept free of oxygen with gas nitrogen, then only
nitrogen is present. Condensation of the latter into a test fluid
removed, the duration of the purge period before testing can be
at − 196°C is slow enough that it can be ignored, and if the test
conducted can be estimated. However, an actual check of the
fluid is warmer than − 196°C, no appreciable condensation will
concentration should be made before starting the tests. In
occur in the interval between filling the sample cup and
cryogenic, water-sensitive tests, turning on the refrigerant
dropping the plummet. If tests are conducted at temperatures
supply will suffice; if water vapor is present, it will be shown
below − 196°C, neon or helium should be used as the inert gas
by frosting on tubing or fogging in the atmosphere. A gas
purge.
oxygen concentration analyzer is needed for determining the
7.3 Dilution by a liquid refrigerant is a more serious
safe level for tests in w
...